VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Fleetline Fever

Hello VCCA friends. I recently decided that one Fleetline wasn't enough and I had to complicate things by dragging home a very tired, very neglected 1950 Chevy Fleetline 4 door last weekend.

I've put a few photos online in a Flickr photo album if anyone wants to see the whole thing.

But here's the story. The car was purchased by a collector in Wisconsin many years ago. A friend of his had a high school shop class 'fix' the car in the 1980's and got it running and may have even sprayed the green over the original Falcon Gray color and do a little bondo job on the rockers. Long story short, the car's cooling system was filled with straight water and the block cracked over that first winter. The owner sold the car and it was a 'project' that was taken apart and then left for another time.

Fast forward to last month when my folks, my wife, and I drove up to check the car out after a tip and within a week I struck a deal and had it lined up for its second life. Here is what it looks like and yes, it needs EVERYTHING, but I couldn't say no!

















We're not sure what we're going to do with it yet, but anything is better (in my mind) than letting it sit out in the elements for another year. I have a 235 and spare bits laying around to make it live again. I also have a line on some suspension parts and a torquetube and leaf springs from a restored car that someone is hot rodding so I would be able to put it back on a rolling chassis in no time. Its also missing some trim, and a front seat but the rear seat, gauges, radio, door panels, and package shelf are still there.

I may be asking for some advice from the 49-54 experts here. I've always liked those years but we've only dabbled in 41-48's and 55-up. Those cars never came into our lives until now and I'm as eager to learn about how they were put together and what makes them tick (pun intended) and now I have the chance. Wish us luck, and thanks in advance for your knowledge and support. Cheers!

Will look better with a Fulton visor

Welcome to the good section of the forum!!

I've got some rusty bits that may match the patina you've currently got going on. Let me know what your plans are...

I have to ask why the winch on the Jeep is tugging on the u haul trailer?

Look at the picture and he has a snatch- block on the trailer so he can winch from a 90 degree angle. 50 Fleetlines are my favorite Chevys. The lines still do something to me after 30 yrs. Enjoy your car,John

You came to the right place! Lot of help here.

Thats cool. I've always liked the four door fleetlines better than the two doors for some reason.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the comments. I've been a fan of the Fleetlines too since a fellow VCCA member years ago completed a frame-off resto of a '51 Fleetline sedan and it just looked like a piece of art. I'm still in the early stages, but I hope to do this thing justice.

Brewster- I may give you a shout in the coming months as I get into this thing before winter. Thanks for your advice in advance, and for letting me snag some rusty bits :)


The Jeep and snatch block was to unload the car off the trailer. My buddy Dave brought his CJ-7 over since it has a remote control winch and my driveway is a 100 foot slope downward. I was worried we would have lost control of the '50 and blown through the garage without some assistance, so Dave's Jeep and 4x4 trail skills came in real handy. Now I want a Jeep, too!

I'll update this thread once I get back from a funeral for my wife's grandfather and have time to start cleaning things up and seeing just how bad the floor and rocker panel rust is. My hunch is that I'll be making a few calls to The Filling Station in the coming years.

Yes, now these "ole eyes" see the winch cable connected to the Chevy.

UPDATE: I finally made some progress on the Fleetline. Not really anything towards restoration...but I've been collecting parts and plotting my next move. My strategy is to slowly acquire some missing trim pieces for the car for as little money as I can just to have a 'complete' car to work with. I still don't know what my plans are, but for now I get to hunt VCCA classifieds, swap meets and Craigslist for bargains. It gives me something to do :)

Here's what I've got so far.


I picked up a hood emblem in really good shape for $10 at a local swap meet. One minor pit, but its clean otherwise.





Here it is installed just for effect :)





For $4 here's a set of tail lamp bezels. There's old masking tape on there but it scratches off. They should clean up okay.





Someone locally was selling a pair of hubcaps for a cool ten smackeroos. They're not great but beggers can't be chosers.





I also picked up a bag of door handles and window cranks for $20. Plenty of extras in there, too.




Lastly, I dug up an old mirror from my Pop's spare parts stash. Its not the best but its a mirror. Cost= $0



That's all for now. I'm still hunting stainless side trim pieces since those are missing, and a better set of bumpers but those are hard to find in good condition it seems. Interior is nearly complete minus the front seat and track, but I'm a long way off from needing that since I don't have much of a floor right now!



More to come. She ain't gonna be ready for spring but slow & steady wins the race, right? Thanks for checking back on this thread.

Way to go! Remember, the tortoise won the race.

Enjoy the journey!

Dean

Should have grabbed the Fulton off the Hudson while you were on the job.

Thanks all. My wife knows that I'm doing this and she really is upset that its taking time away from our other Chevy projects. She really loves our '47 but with time she'll grow to like this one too once it looks pretty and moves under its own power.

Speaking of that, there's no way this 216 is going to come back to life. The block has a huge crack on the lower driver's side webbing near the bottom by the pan.





I can likely salvage a lot of parts from the motor but I won't know until I pull it and get into it. The valve cover is nearly perfect and it appears that someone rebuilt the carb at some point as it too is clean and moves freely. I have a lot of learning to do on these, I'm only familiar with Carter W-1 and the later Rochester 2bbl carbs.






The car still sports a Delco regulator, which hasn't typically been the case in old Chevrolets we drag home. 90% of the time they're an aftermarket Standard or Echlin. This was nice to see.




Options include an AC oil filter which should clean up with some sanding and painting. Our '48 had one of these when I was a kid and I remember helping my dad restore it with new lines and put on the decals. "Its just like a big model car" he said. That's right, Dad!




The original radiator is in good shape and isn't smashed up too badly. I haven't cleaned it out yet but if I cross my fingers it may still hold water. I'm not expecting it though since the car was parked with straight water in it, which led to the cracked block.




I do have a spare '53 passenger car 235 that allegedly runs (we've all heard that before) that I picked up with a spare trans and some other parts for $100 years ago that I'm thinking of using in this car.



Its the same style babbit low-pressure motor, correct? If I could get some life out of it with a quickie ring job and refresh I'd like to swap it in the '50 but there's also a few gotchas I'm sure. Eyeballing it I know the mounts are different. Side mounts are on the block and there's no holes in the front plate like the 216. Could I swap the plates on the 216 and 235 or are they different? Is this a lame idea? Should I hunt for a 50 216 and be done with it?

Thanks for the advice on this project. Tune in next time as I annoy my better half with more old junk and a driveway full of rust.

I could probably sweet talk them into selling the visor...but the car comes with it. Need a Hudson?

Here is 216 to 235 info I posted to another thread, from Patrick Dykes of Patricks Cars and Truck in AZ.

Good info there, but there is an adapter plate out there to use, instead of the custom made shorter water pump, if you need the shorter pump to make clearance at fan to radiator.

Example of adapter plate for $49.00.

https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detai...ter_Plate_For_55_Up_235_261_Engines.html

The CUSTOM shorter water pump is pricy. With the available adapter plate, a STOCK NAPA shorter water pump may be used, instead of the $130.00 custom pump. Can't find a custom pump easily, if you're on the side of the road.

Click and scroll down, rather lengthy, but good info.

http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/articles.html

I have a complete front seat if your ever through New Mexico. From a 51 fleetline?

I have a 216 and manual trans as well.

Bob- thank you for the links and info on this. I'm not as familiar with the later 55-up full pressure 235 motors. Does the '53 that I have also fit into this category with the water pump clearance problem?

I'd love a Route 66 southwest road trip. We'll have to stay in touch!

Daryl,

According to G&D rag, if you have a 53 235 with stick behind it, it will be the babbit lower end. In 53 with P/G behind it, that will be the full pressure eng. In 54 and after, all 6 cyl engines were full pressure, either stick or P/G.

As to the swap instead of the 216, don't know what would be required to drop in in your 50. Perhaps Gene or someone else can help you on that.

Jim.

31's are the ones to run.

Thanks Jim. The block numbers on this one are LAAI041175, which I think is a 53 low-pressure 235 for a 3 speed passenger car.

Here is a post from Gene, 7 years ago.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/1195177/

I believe the change from the very small water passage openings to the water pump to the large water passage opening to the water pump changed in 1955. When that change occurred, the pump became LONGER.

Since you have both engines on-hand, measure from the block on each water pump to the front of the water pump pulley.

I believe the correct measurement should be 4".

Excellent, she's a dipper. I'm okay with that. I will probably throw it on a stand this coming summer and see if she'll run. Thanks for the link Bob.

You're welcome.